Clay, so far, had been successfully keeping his focus on the soccer game.

They were tied 1-1 right now, and about 40 minutes in. The teams were so evenly matched it was difficult to score a goal. Clay even worried that they were slowly and steadily losing; the opponents were getting closer and closer to making another goal, but it felt like he wasn't improving.

Relax, he told himself, if you lose you lose.

Just enjoy yourself. Enjoy the challenge like you usually do.

Focus.

Among the other noises of his heartbeat, the cheering and booing crowd, the shouts of players and coaches, he heard Nick call his name and saw him pass the ball a few yards ahead of him.

Clay quickly sprinted forward and dribbled it towards the goal.

He was almost in a good place to take his shot-

Just about to swing his foot forward-

The referee blew the whistle just as Clay was making contact with the ball and sending it flying into the net.

The goalie was already jumping to block it, but it didn't matter.

Clay's team sighed collectively as everyone slowed to a stop.

It was halftime.

When the whistle blows, the ball is dead.

The score didn't count.

It took a minute for the spectators to recognize what had happened.

When they finally did, the clamor of complaints from Clay's school students and parents was drowned out by the cheers from the other side of the field. That side was the families and friends of the opposing team, and they were ecstatic the score was still equal.

The enemy goalie sent him playful finger guns, and Clay shook his head and turned away.

You didn't even block it.

"Yo, come on Dreamboat."

Sapnap walked with him to the water coolers, complaining the whole time.

"What kind of ref calls time in the middle of a score? Could have at least given us a few more seconds," He grumbled.

Clay shook his head. "No, I should've been faster."

If I had just been a bit faster-

"Nah man, it was totally the ref's fault. I bet he called it early so he could eat that Subway sandwich." Sapnap glared.

Clay saw the ref was indeed happily digging into a sub and ignoring the mob yelling at him.

"Nah, the food is a distraction so he can ignore the crowd," Clay joked.

Sapnap smiled, "yeah I hope they'd at least put someone in charge who thinks about the game over his stomach."

"You're one to talk!"

"Hey-"

Clay took off, laughing. "Race you!"

"HEY-"

He beat Sapnap to the water cooler and stood triumphantly.

"I think it's time to change your nickname, Slowpoke. Sapnap the snail perhaps? Sapnap the slug?"

"Yeah I get the point," Nick panted.

>>>

Sapnap squinted at the bleachers.

They had already been refreshed with water and Gatorade. He guessed about 10 of the 15 minutes had passed, so halftime was almost over.

Why are all those people moving?

A group of 30-something students, some of them carrying signs, were slowly walking around the field from Sapnap's school's side to the enemy team's bleachers.

Sapnap, being a curious person who always wandered into trouble, went up to the traitors now sitting on the opponent's side to ask what they were doing.

He read the signs as he approached. They said various things like "LGBTQ+ Rights" and "Justice for George," one said "Down with The Dream."

Sapnap was shocked, what the hell are they doing?

He turned to the guy closest to him, a short guy in a red sweater, and said, controlling his voice as much as possible, "You guys know this looks bad on our school right? Why would you move here? Are you protesting the school?"

"Yes," the guy replied in a calm voice, "more specifically, your teammate Clay."

Sapnap balled his hands into fists, his question was full of venom.

"Why?"

"Because," the red sweater boy continued, "he hurt our friend."

"But he didn't! You don't even know how much-"

"I hate you soccer guys-" interrupted a guy with a red headband and ripped jeans as he stood up next to the first guy- "you all think you're better than everyone and you judge people without knowing them. You can shove your judgement-"

"Bdubs." The first guy silenced him.

"Beedub" sat down and glared at Sapnap.

Sapnap wanted to punch him, and the other guy, and all of them who thought they knew Clay. They were all wrong. All wrong.

He knew fighting would get him disqualified from the game but damn it was tempting.

"Fuck you."

He walked away.

"HEY-" some girl yelled at him. "You can't talk to Grian like that!"

Fuck it.

Sapnap turned back around and started toward the guy in the red sweater.

"Beedobs" stood up again. The ginger girl who shouted stood on his other side; she put down her "Justice for George" sign and stared him down threateningly, but Sapnap didn't notice.

He stopped directly in front of Grian, unaware of how everyone else closed in protectively.

"You're Grian?"

Grian nodded, his auburn eyes steady.

"You're in charge of-" Sapnap waved his hand- "this?"

Grian nodded again.

"Well Grian-

I have one thing to say to you-"

Grian's eyes widened as Sapnap threw a punch to his nose

-but it stopped two inches away. Grian flinched and the tall guy who caught Sapnap's arm moved in front of him.

Then he let go.

The whistle blew.

"Leave," the tall guy glowered.

Sapnap was fuming. He wanted to shove past him and finish what he started but-

the game is more important.

His teammates would be pissed if he got himself disqualified and gave their school a bad reputation.

But Clay deserves defending.

Another day though.

Sapnap finally backed out, it was only then he realized the other protesters had gathered around him.

He shoved out, yelling back, "You guys don't know shit about Clay!"

Then he left them behind for the game.

>>>

Clay caught sight of Sapnap coming back and greeted him, "hey where did you go?"

"Nothing."

Clay tried to see behind him but Sapnap moved in front of his vision.

"I'll tell you about it later ok, let's go play."

"Uh yeah-" Clay gave up trying to see- "wait no we still have five minutes, that was like a warning thing they do here. Confused me too."

"Oh excellent."

"Yeah-"

"Clay! The Dream! Dream Dream Dream Dream Dream," Tommy interrupted them.

"Yeah?" Clay raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Were you gonna follow that up with something?"

"Um yeah I was gonna say you look terrible in green and Tubbo wants you."

"Hey- Clay!" Tubbo caught sight of them.

"Yeah watch out he wants to do some mythical voodoo shit." Tommy rolled his eyes.

"No, just good luck before we start the second half," Tubbo corrected him. "Ok: Clay, O best player, soccer champion."

"Ouch Tubbo that hurts," Techno called.

"Sorry Techno!" Tubbo called back over his shoulder.

"Clay spin in a circle."

"No, I'm not doing that."

"Pleeeease?" Tubbo whined. "If you don't do it we won't win."

"Yeah he's right Clay!" Tommy crossed his arms and grinned. "Spin around or we lose the game."

"Fine." Clay decided to humor him and spun in a circle reluctantly.

"Ok, now one more time, but faster."

"Oh my god this is so dumb." Clay spun around again.

"Ok good now stand on one leg and repeat after me-"

"You guys are pranking me right now."

"No I'm not I promise." Tubbo shook his head seriously.

Sapnap was amused. "You heard the man, Clay, stand on one leg."

Clay sighed and stood on one leg.

"Ok now repeat after me-"

"I LiKe BEES!"

"No, I didn't say that, take this seriously man come on! Ahem. 'We are awesome...'"

Clay felt a smile tug at his lips. "We are awesome..."

"'And we're the best...'"

"And we're the best..."

"'And Tubbo is the best...'"

Sapnap snickered and Clay smiled. "And Tubbo is the best..."

"'And I'm the second-best...'"

Clay suppressed his wheeze and tried to stay upright. "And I'm the second-best..."

"'And Tommy is also good...'"

"GOOD?"

"Can I put my foot down?"

"No, shut up..."

"OK fine- Tommy is also good..."

"'We're going to win!'"

"We're going to win." Clay smiled.

Tommy and Sapnap broke out in applause.

"Wow, just wow, beautiful show you put on there, Big Law."

"Thank you, thank you." Tubbo bowed to Tommy.

"Yeah, and wow Clay! Amazing performance!" Sapnap clapped harder.

"Do it again!"

"No."

"Eh, thought I'd try."

"Yea-no."

The whistle blew again to mark the start of the second half and they all jogged back out into the fray.

Nearly 45 minutes later, they only had a few minutes to do better than tie. Each team had scored another goal and the goalies had each deflected at least half a dozen balls.

The time elapsed and they had another break.

It was agreed to continue the game into "extra time" until the next team scored.

No pressure. Just the whole tournament.

All the guys were pretty tired during this break. Tubbo made Clay do the silly spin-mantra-win routine again, but this time it was a little less funny.

Clay did his best to pep talk the team before they went back out.

"Ok, everyone listen up. I know these guys are though, and we've lost to them in past years, but this is the closest we've ever been. We have trained so hard for this, and all of you have improved since we last faced them. Yeah, we're on their turf, but we can still show 'em who's better right? I mean look, Sapnap's back on his damn twisted foot-" the guys whooped and clapped some- "so if he can keep playing at his best, so can we! We can play better, and wear the tournament champion crowns! So let's go score one fucking goal!"

The guys cheered and ran out onto the field with new energy. Sapnap slapped Clay on the back and they continued the game.

This time the guys had an edge over the opponents. The other team had come in overconfident that they could beat the smaller school again, but they had been steadily worn down by the little team's resilience.

Clay's team came back out not exactly fresh and sweet-smelling, but pumped to score just one more goal and take home the trophy.

The other team was exhausted and not giving their best anymore because they half-wanted it to just be over.

The team played harder than ever, and Clay could feel they were close to scoring. He was proud of their effort.

They were passing it around again, Wilbur to Tommy, Tommy to Tubbo, Tubbo to Nick, Nick-

-to me.

Clay feinted and dodged around the central defender to line up with the opening and where Sapnap was about to pass it.

He was almost there-

A glint from the bleachers caught his eye

He spared a half-second to look at it-

And froze.

George—

Every fiber of his being focused on the short brunette at the edge of the spectators. Everything was forgotten except a few numb steps in his direction.

Then George turned to the field.

It wasn't George.

Clay couldn't process. He almost fell to his knees. He distantly heard someone shouting "get up" and lots of yelling.

George isn't here.

He's not here.

That thought echoed in Clay's head.

He felt the breeze on his face as someone ran past him.

Technoblade saved the game by scoring where Clay was supposed to be.

The team lifted him on their shoulders as the crowd swept off the bleachers onto the field.

Clay knew it was supposed to be loud, but-

It all seemed half-real.

He eventually broke out of it enough to move and clap for Techno.

The team was jubilant, their school hadn't won the tournament in over a decade.

They were all swarmed by friends and family.

The game was over; Techno was victorious.

(2k words)